It’s that time of year again. Time for, hiking, biking and TICKS!!!! Ticks can be a real nuisance and can carry several different tick-borne diseases, but with a little bit of information and some tips on prevention, you can reduce your risk of getting any of the tick-borne diseases. Three ticks, called vectors, are responsible for most of the tick-borne disease transmission: Deer Tick, Lonestar Tick, and the American Dog tick.

Ticks pass through four stages of development: egg, larva, nymph and adult. In the larval, nymphal, and adult stages, these ticks must locate and obtain a blood meal from a host animal to complete its life cycle. The host animal differs by disease but includes the white-footed mouse, meadow vole, birds and white- tailed deer. Humans are considered incidental hosts.

The peak activity of the adult deer tick is between mid-October and early December, becoming inactive when the temperature falls, and resuming activity from mid-March through April. The peak activity of nymphal deer ticks is late May to early June, but these ticks can be observed from April through July. Larval deer ticks are most abundant in late July and August. American dog tick adults appear in May and again in September, while larvae and nymphs are most prevalent in May-June and July-August.

Unfavorable habitats for deer ticks include open sunny areas such as lawns, athletic fields and other recreational areas, croplands and wetlands. In wooded residential areas, deer ticks can be found in wooded areas and along woodland edges. However, landscaped areas with dense ground cover plans also provide a suitable habitat for deer ticks. Dense shrub layer, leaf litter, and other plant debris play an important role in the survival of larvae and nymphs by maintaining conditions of high humidity. Lawns immediately adjacent to woodland edge may support low numbers of ticks. Lonestar ticks are most commonly found in forested areas, while American dog ticks are associated with field habitats. All three species can be encountered in the woodland edge.

Ticks require an extended period of time to insert their mouthparts and begin feeding. Generally, deer ticks must be attached for 24-36 hours before transmission of the Lyme disease-causing spirochete occurs. 40-45% of adult deer ticks are infected with Lyme disease, while nymphs are infected at about one-half that rate. Larvae are rarely infected. The Lonestar tick and the American dog tick also require an extended period of attachment for transmission to occur, but research on this and infection rates are not well defined.

Did you know that health officials report more than 75% of all Lyme disease cases are contracted within 100 feet of the home, making it a true “Backyard disease”. Our company’s goal is to safely protect your family against pests that bite, sting, carry diseases and destroy your property.

Now is the time to schedule your ExteriorVectorProtection. This protective service is beneficial for your family’s health and wellbeing.

Included with your Vector Treatment is a full inspection and treatment of the prone areas around your property. This protective service will help control ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, and many other general crawling insects. Interior access is not necessary for this service to be performed. If inclement weather prevents completion of your service, we will reschedule it in a timely manner. If you should not be at home, a service slip detailing our integrated Pest Management inspection and treatment will be provided. Give Wildlife Busters®® a call at 1-855-945-1212 and allow us to protect you and your family against Zika, West Nile or Lyme disease.

Let’s Talk About the Zika Virus Have you heard about the Zika virus and are you wondering what it is? Cases of this infectious disease are soaring in America. Many U.S. states are reporting cases of travelers bringing the infection … Continue reading →

Why and how to Decontaminate & Sanitize after wildlife infestation. You may have had a critter or two taking residence or passing through your home. Once you realized this you immediately reached out with help to have them removed. But, … Continue reading →

The Gray Squirrel Welcome Fall!! Hello readers, we apologize for the lack of information over the past few months. We are growing and improving, and welcomed a few new employees. Please welcome, Tracy Singh who is our customer service specialist … Continue reading →

Inspirational Quote: “Let us not look back in anger, or forward in fear, but around in awareness.” – James Thurber Are Bats Out Of Hibernation? It’s mid-April and we are finally starting to feel that spring has arrived! It has … Continue reading →

Inspirational Quote: “Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time over which you have any control: now.” Denis Waitley Spring Time Is Baby Time Spring is in the … Continue reading →

Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they’re supposed to help you discover who you are. -Bernice Johnson Reagon The Ripple Effect of Wildlife In Your Home Wildlife nuisances encroaching on your commercial or residential properties pose many risks. … Continue reading →

A New Year, New Beginnings And A New Company To Provide You With Bird Management Solutions The New Year is a wonderful time of year to take a moment to reflect; to acknowledge growth; to fine tune systems and to … Continue reading →